Reaction movement

[robotechjb]

Does setting a reaction movement range have any affect with ASW or Sub missions? Will Subs move toward a sighted enemy task force within their range but perhaps 1 hex out of their patrol area? Will ASW task forces react to enemy subs and move in and attack?

Thanks [&o]

[Sardaukar]

It works for subs...IMHO sometimes bit too well. You subs may chase slower targets quite a long way.

[jetjockey]

It works for ASW TFs as well. I've had ASW TFs, patrolling near the Home Islands, follow subs past Wake (I'm not sure how DDs can track subs without air spotters though). Just set your reaction range to six and you are off to the races. Please note, PBs rarely react and SCs never do (at least from what I've seen).

[USSAmerica]

Works for both for me.  For subs, remember not to set a destination hex, but rather set a Patrol zone, even if it's only one hex.  Then, the reaction range is enabled. 

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: Sardaukar

It works for subs...IMHO sometimes bit too well. You subs may chase slower targets quite a long way.

same for me, if the reaction would be only halve as good it would easily be good enough IMO.

[jb123]

ok, this makes sense, thanks for the note, I was getting irritated with the subs all reacting then coming home with a full load of torps.

[freeboy]

does it make a difference ifthe reaction is 1 or 2 or 6?
If I set a destination.. is that automatically cancel the react to for subs?

[Knyvet]

A large reaction number may result in your subs or ASW TF automatically reacting into or through an "undesirable" hex
Subs
I cannot find it, but I believe the Game Manual states that a sub is easier to detect and destroy if the sub is in a shallow ocean hex. Regardless, that is logical. As a result and absent a strategic reason, you may not want your sub patrol areas and reaction distances to include shallow ocean hexes.

ASW TFs
I am not sure about ASWs. If you set an ASW TF on a patrol you may not want it to react a max distance away gambling a) a low chance of finding the sub (assuming the chance to find sub algorithm penalizes you for long reactions) while b) straying too far from where you really need ASW, such as a choke point. This is especially true if the longer the reaction hex number the less chance you have of reacting a long distance and successfully attacking the sub.

Fuel consideration
ASWs and Subs
Fuel expenditure may be an issue. If the odds of detecting, getting the detected hex, and being successful are lower with each reaction hex traveled, you just burned 2 * (miles per hex * reaction distance hexes traveled) to go out and back away from your set patrol for a very low probability of success. A sub or DD reacting 12 hexes (hundreds of miles) for nothing puts a dent in overall fuel expenditure that you did not plan on (unless you anticipated the possibility of long reaction fuel expenditures). Especially if this happens numerous times while on patrol.

Subs reacting?
Perhaps subs can chase down a TF using reaction because TFs used zig-zig patterns to evade subs. The time and distance for a sub that plots a dead reckoning intercept angle as well as recalculating the angle for each zig-zag spotting of the known TF makes some sense for catching a faster TF - especially if the sub is on the surface and unspotted for portions of the the zig and zag. Perhaps someone who knows historical tactics can weigh in on my zig-zag sub can catch theory.

My rule of thumb:
Subs react 1, ASW reaction number depends on the desired patrol. A DD in a transport/tanker/supply group will have a low reaction number because I believe the DD will have a hard time reacting a long way while dragging the turtles along. Leaving the turtles behind leaves them defenseless to another sub.

Kyle

[pompack]

As I have also discovered, subs on react will follow a target TF from turn to turn. This is normally good, but it can get really bad if the target TF runs into a heavily mined harbor. I lost four subs in two days to mines before I caught on and turn react off when they get close to a major base.

[Rapunzel]

Hmm that is an interesting taktik^^. I have to try his in my pbem. Collect all subs in an area and lead them into the mine field [:D]

[EUBanana]

Subs have a tendency to react into busy ports trying to chase targets, and hitting mines in said ports. I think mines have been the biggest headache for my Allied subs in my big game, due to my laziness in setting up their patrol areas, or my calculated (or not so calculated) risktaking.

I do generally try to set the reaction distance to a number less than the distance from patrol zone to nearest mined up the wazz port, so they in theory don't go charging in and get themselves killed.

[ian77]

ORIGINAL: Rapunzel

Hmm that is an interesting taktik^^. I have to try his in my pbem. Collect all subs in an area and lead them into the mine field [:D]

Mmmmm.... a cross between the Pied Piper and Galaxy Quest[:D]